Potable Water Benefits

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Solid Wall Pipe has been used in Potable Water applications since the '60's, and has been gaining approval and growth in municipalities ever since. HDPE Pipe is specified and/or approved in AWWA C901, AWWA C906, NSF 14, NSF 61 and ASTM International D3035. Some distinctive advantages of HDPE pipe that provide important benefits for water applications are listed below:

Durability

1. Heat Fused Joints -- Benefits

• HDPE pipe can be heat fused together to form a joint that is as strong or stronger than the pipe itself and is leak free.
• This eliminates the potential leak points every 10-20 feet as found with PVC and Ductile Iron bell and spigot connections.
• The Life Cycle Cost of HDPE pipe differs from other pipe materials because the "allowable water leakage" is zero rather than typical leakage rates of 10 to 20% for PVC and Ductile Iron.
• HDPE pipe fused joints are self restraining and costly thrust restraints or thrust blocks are not required.
• HDPE pipe's fused joints simply do not leak, eliminating infiltration and exfiltration problems experienced with alternate pipe joints.

2. Flexible and Fatigue Resistant -- Benefits

• HDPE pipe can be bent to a radius 25 times the nominal pipe diameter (Example: 12" HDPE can be cold formed in the field to a 25ft radius). This can eliminate many fittings required for directional changes in a piping system where fittings and thrust blocks or restraints are required with alternate materials.
• The flexibility of HDPE pressure pipe makes it well suited for dynamic soils including areas prone to earthquake.
• HDPE pressure pipe can accept repetitive pressure surges that significantly exceed the static pressure rating of the pipe.